Tub Fics
by sanctum-c
Summary: A selection of one-shots based around baths and bathing with multiple pairings. Originally this was supposed to be just person A (and in one instance C) is in the bath and person B walks in and joins them, though some of the later ideas deviated quite a bit. Latest chapter: Shera meets a Turk in the aftermath of Rocket Town.
1. Cunning Plan - Cloud x Aerith

"Cloud?" Aeris called as she nudged the door open. No response and no one in sight. She stepped into the room and jumped as a loud creak split the air. In her panic she slammed the door against the wall. One of the windows flickered white for a second and a roll of thunder sounded somewhere above her. No sign of Cloud, Barret or Cait Sith. Disappointing. She glanced at the door. Likely there was a new hole in the wall of the Ghost Hotel thanks to her. Aeris pulled the door towards her and peeked behind it. A slight dent in the wall; hopefully no one would notice. Best to make sure though. Was there something to shuffle or lean in front of the damage? Nothing obvious - aside from maybe that lamp.

She pushed the door to and stopped as it creaked again. Wait. The creak had clearly not come from the hinges. Aeris frowned and opened the door slowly. The sound seemed to be coming from an almost concealed speaker set into the wall. She moved the door back and forth a few times and produced a succession of loud, identical creaks each time the door reached a certain position. Were only some rooms set up like this, or was hers broken?

Pushing the door all the way open caused another flash of lightning and a new rumble of thunder. Aeris frowned and ventured over to the only window seemingly affected by the weather. She peered closer. It was fake; the view of the surrounding graveyard offered was nothing more than a slightly blurred photograph. The rumble of thunder faded away leaving the faint sound rain and dripping water in it's wake. They were really doing a good job with the atmosphere here, gimmicky as it was. Aeris sighed. As much fun as the design of the room was, it did not quite make up for her oh so cunning date plan falling at the first hurdle; namely actually asking the other person out. Perhaps it would be better to just wait until this whole thing with the Black Materia was over? Maybe.

Aeris headed back to the door, now intent on seeing what she could distract herself with in the Gold Saucer for the rest of the evening - she might run into one of the others along the way for company. The muted, but still clearly audible splash from the bathroom made her pause. Unless giving the impression of some aquatic horror emerging in the bathroom was on the same level as thunder and creaking hinges, it was unlikely to be part of the room's atmosphere. The faint sound of what seemed like rain and dripping water stopped - had that been the shower? The light was on in the bathroom, the door not quite closed; steam drifted through the gap. It could be Barret of course. Or Cait Sith- Aeris blinked and shook her head. Why would a robot take a bath?

Fifty-fifty then; Barret or Cloud. Her seemingly foiled plan was now back on the table. Aeris tip-toed across the carpet with slow, careful steps, the deep plush muffling her movements. For all the other enhancements, the hotel was curiously lacking in creaky floorboards. She grinned at the memory; Cloud trying to sneak out of her house in the early hours of the morning and treading on one of the many warped boards in the hallway.

Aeris took a deep breath and peered through the gap, her eyes widening at the sight. Cloud was leaning back in the large, square bath as water dripped down from his slicked-back blonde spikes and pooled on the floor. He looked something close to contented, facing the door with his eyes closed and his posture relaxed, his legs spread. And of course he was not wearing a thing; Aeris swallowed awkwardly.

Various old injuries marred his otherwise perfect skin. The worst was a large, ugly scar in his shoulder; she had missed that one before. Had he hidden it from her while dressing in Wall Market? Perhaps. But what could have possibly caused such an injury but not proven fatal? Aeris shook her head. As much as Cloud was wonderful to stare at, the best thing to do would be to leave and let him relax. The date could wait. Shame; it would have been nice to go around the Gold Saucer with him, go on some rides, wrap her arms around Cloud much later on, kiss him and see where things went. She might have even suggested going back to his room, and now having a bath together seemed a tempting inclusion to proceedings.

Well, she did not have to give up on her plan - not if she did not want to. There was even a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the inside of the door. Another second of debate and Aeris moved to hang the card on the outside and push the door fully closed. Raiding the mini-bar in any other inn ran the risk of bankruptcy, but here Cait Sith should be either picking up the tab or at least would be able to do something about the disproportionate costs. Either way, she was not going to let such a minor detail stop her now as she plucked two tiny bottles of wine from the fridge. There were better wines, better settings and better timings but in the end this would do just fine. Aeris nudged the bathroom door open with her foot. Cloud opened his eyes and sat up startled.

"Aeris!" His hands covered his groin as he blinked at her, his cheeks reddening at her approach. "D-did you want something?" His voice sounded slightly strangled.

"I was just passing and I had a thought," she said, letting her gaze drift from his eyes to his neck, his chest and lower to where his hands currently converged. She met his gaze again. "I wondered if you might like the date I owed you?"

"Oh," Cloud said. "Sure. Um." He glanced around helplessly. "Just let me get dressed and we can go wherever you want."

"No need to get dressed," Aeris replied and took two of the three plastic glasses from the sink. "We can just have a drink here. I don't mind." She shrugged her bolero jacket from her shoulders.

"If that's what you want," Cloud said unsure of himself.

"It is," Aeris replied as she slowly and deliberately undid the top two buttons of her dress. Cloud's eyes widened as she took hold of her dress and pulled it over her head. He looked away - his cheeks flushing a deeper red - as she dropped the garment behind her. "And it's been too long since I last had a bath," she added as she undid her bra and added it to the rumpled pile on the floor. Cloud chanced another look and returned his attention hurriedly to the water. "Could you please pour the wine?" Aeris asked as she slipped her underwear and socks off.

"Sure," Cloud said, his hands trembling as he unscrewed the first bottle and half-filled the first glass with the wine. He held it up, only looking up at her when she did not immediately take it. She ignored the glass for now, preferring to watch as his mouth fell open. He looked away and she took the opportunity to step into the bath at the opposite end to him and sit down.

The bath was gloriously, wonderfully hot; she could not have stopped the moan of appreciation even if she had wanted to. Water sloshed over the edge of the bath as she sat down; the resulting wave took one of the plastic tumblers with it and unbalanced the second wine bottle. It fell to the floor with a loud clink and Cloud peered after it. "Didn't break. But we only have one cup now."

"It's fine," Aeris said and took the open bottle from his hand. "I'll just have to drink straight from this." Cloud hastily took a sip from the glass he held and chanced quick, furtive glances at her as she took a long swig. She smiled at him. "I won't bite, you know," she added.

"I didn't think you would. It's just you, um-"

"Surprised you?" Aeris asked. Cloud nodded, his gaze carefully focused on the door. His hands no longer covered his crotch and her lack of clothes did seem to have had rather an interesting effect on his anatomy. "We have the room all to ourselves - just the two of us, undisturbed." She took another swig. "Do you mind?"

Cloud glanced at her and then immediately down at the water again. He seemed to notice his body's reaction and drew his legs up to cover himself. "No. I don't mind at all," he said quietly.

"But you seem tense," Aeris countered, enjoying the light teasing. "Do I make you uncomfortable?"

"A little," Cloud admitted.

Aeris let out an exaggerated sigh. "I guess I should leave you to your bath in peace then-" She put the bottle down and gripped the sides of the tub-

"No," Cloud said quickly and loudly as she started to stand. "I mean," he continued in a quieter voice when she paused. "I was just a bit surprised, but-" He swallowed hastily. "I do like this. Please. Stay."

Aeris stayed on her haunches and kept her face carefully neutral. Cloud's gaze threatened to slide down to her chest as much as he earnestly tried to stay focused on her eyes. She took another swig from her bottle, and smiled at him. "I gladly accept your invitation." Cloud frowned as Aeris shuffled forward, one leg carefully placed between his, her knee brushing against him. "Might I suggest a few ideas on what we can do to pass the time while we're here like this? If you're interested of course," she murmured as she leant towards him.

Cloud stared up into her eyes, his breathing fast. "What did you have in mind?" he whispered. She smiled and kissed him.


	2. We'll Go Together - Cloud x Tifa

Suddenly they were at the right spot. Time to act. Breathing suddenly seemed difficult, but if not now, when? Tifa reached out and grabbed Cloud's shirt, her hand shaking. Not easy to get a grip like this - should have gone for the hem or maybe the collar. Either way it had the intended effect; Cloud halted mid step. "Tifa?" he asked turning towards her.

"We... we don't have to go back right now. I mean-" She took a deep breath, avoiding looking up at his face and instead focusing on the ground. She had started, but that had been the easy part. Actually telling Cloud her idea; that was the hard part. "Barret's going to be there all night. So. We don't have to hurry home. I mean, not right away."

"You... want to do something else?" Cloud asked. He sounded confused.

"Yeah. I do." Deep breath. Hold. Look up. Beautiful blue eyes, green mako ring around the pupils. "It's... It's this way." She took his hand and started off down the alley with stiff steps, Cloud followed unresisting. What must he be thinking now? Waiting until they were mere minutes from home to suggest doing something else? Probably he had no idea this was a route she had investigated last week - and in preparation for today. The shortest walk from the bar to the nicest looking love hotel Edge currently offered.

The buildings had always been intriguing to her in Midgar - Sector Seven held one on the outskirts, and the place came up in conversations every now again. Mostly jokes and inferences - no one ever said they had visited the place, just that friends mentioned the usefulness of it. The suspicious quick looks accompanying such an admission certainly called the veracity of the comment into question, but Tifa had never pushed for more information. She just listened, wondered and waited. Until today.

Cloud halted as they turned the corner at the alley's end, Tifa jerked back with him still clutching his hand. "Tifa?" he asked. "This... I mean, it looks like-"

"It's a love hotel," she interrupted, her cheeks blazing with heat. "I... I wanted to try. With you. Just to see what it's like." She glanced over her shoulder, nerves almost at breaking point. "Unless you really don't want to?"

He glanced around nervously, his mouth quirking into a smile as he met her gaze. "I don't mind," he said after a pause, his cheeks flushing.

"Don't mind?" Tifa asked. Not a no. Not a yes either. "Are you... curious?"

"I think..." His cheeks reddened further. "I am. A little bit?"

"Okay." Tifa smiled, the tension in her chest diminishing for a moment before coming back even stronger; his answer now meant something more. Elation at Cloud's admission clashed with the reality of the situation. "Shall we find out?" He nodded but neither of them made a move. "I've never been to one of these."

"Me neither," Cloud said.

"Together? We'll go together?" Cloud nodded. Tifa took a deep breath, glanced up and down the street; there were few people nearby, and no one she recognised. They could do this. She walked quickly towards the building, still holding Cloud's hand.

The interior was a surprise; no garish pinks or seedy lightning. Just a simple hallway leading to an elevator at one end. Paying for the room was incredibly discreet, pricey but not unaffordable. The room they selected - in the end it was more like Cloud agreed with her than making a conscious decision on merit - was one of the basic ones. No weird or provocative themes; just a simple room. Three hours - surely an eternity, but she could not be certain how long this would take, how long to work up the nerve to do anything more.

"Seven-seven-seven," Tifa read off the card as the lift whisked them to the upper floors.

"A good omen?" Cloud asked as the lift halted. Tifa flashed him a smile even as her stomach clenched with renewed tension. The hallway outside the lift was quiet. So far the place was nothing like her expectations. No audible assault of moans and other noises drifting from adjacent rooms. This was just like a hotel. If hotels were in the habit of charging by the hour at least. Still, best not to chance an unwanted encounter. Tifa hurried to the room and opened the door.

Much like the rest of the building, their chosen room was pleasantly understated. No garish décor, no sleazy music or television blaring with graphic pornography. No sticky carpet; the room was clean and tidy. Well. The television might play porn if they turned it on. The stereo system in the corner could easily contain sleazy music. And who knew what the various cupboards near the bed held. The door clicked closed and Tifa span around. Just Cloud. Just Cloud and her. In a love hotel. With three hours and a ticking timer. Her heart hammered in her chest. There was even a bathroom. A bathroom with a glass door. Not so much like a regular hotel room.

"So," Cloud said as he peered around the room. "How- I mean, what should we... Do?" he asked and coughed awkwardly.

"I'm going to take a shower first." Tifa grimaced. "I'm going to have a shower," she hastily corrected.

Cloud looked as unsettled as she felt. "Okay," he said and hurried over to sit on the bed, his gaze drifting around the room.

The bathroom looked typical enough; shower against one wall, fluffy towels, double-sized rectangular tub in the centre. And nothing she could do about the glass door. No hooks, or any way to screen it off from the rest of the room. She dithered. Cloud was watching her through the door seemingly curious. "Don't look. Please," she begged. He nodded and lay back on the bed out of her eyeline. Despite the whole point of coming here, despite her every intention, the idea of undressing in front of Cloud was just a little too much right now.

Towels. She pulled one from the shelf, opened the door and draped it over. It only covered up to about half-way down; not great for privacy, but better than nothing. No. She could trust Cloud. Tifa pulled the towel down; Cloud remained flopped back on his back and staring up at the ceiling. Okay. Maybe a bath would help her relax? She started filling the bath, poured in the bubble bath and shed her clothes. Difficult to not keep an eye on the door as she washed off the day's sweat in the shower.

The warm water was wonderful as she stepped into the tub. How long since she last had the opportunity for this? If nothing else, this alone made the attempt worth it. Possibly a bit expensive to just come here for bathing though. Her head lolled back and she closed her eyes. Too comfortable. If she was not careful she would just doze off in here. She sat up. What was she doing? Enjoying a bath while Cloud lay outside on the bed - and doing nothing. The plan was a wreck. Tifa sank lower in the bath, the bubbles covering her shoulders. "Cloud?" Her voice echoed off the tiled walls.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"Sorry. I... I think I rushed us into this," she called.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think you might be right," he said. "Maybe we should have talked about it first?"

Tifa nodded. "Yeah. That might have helped," she replied, sighing with relief. He understood her nervousness and possibly shared it. But still the idea of calmly talking about things was still so daunting. They had very sort of talked about it tonight; both been curious. That was a start right? Not much of one though. Maybe if they got used to being more physically close? "Um. Would you like a bath?"

"A bath?" he replied.

"Yeah. There's a big one right here. You could... could..." She could do this. "You can share it with me. If you want."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Tifa glanced down, rechecking the mass of bubbles obscured almost every inch of her skin. "Yeah."

Cloud pushed open the door, his gaze carefully avoiding the bath. She looked away as his hands fumbled with the zip of his shirt. Trapped now - and staring at the bathroom wall as each article of Cloud's clothing fell to the floor with a muffled thump. Her heart skipped a beat as the shower started, and her pulse accelerated as it shut off and damp foot steps padded closer. "Um. Where should I...?"

Tifa scrunched up and shuffled forward still unable to look at him. "Behind me," she said. Another pause, and the water shifted as he stepped into the bath. She chanced a look over her shoulder as he sat back. "Hi."

"Hi," he replied, his face flushed. "Are... are you okay?"

Tifa nodded. "Think so. Just... this is new."

"Yeah. Not done this." He took a deep breath, the water moving with him. "We don't have to do... anything you know."

"I know," Tifa replied. Some of the tension seemed to leave her. "It is nice though; to have time for ourselves for a change. Right?"

"No kids," Cloud replied with a nod. "And no deliveries."

"No bar work," she added.

He shifted, his foot ghosting along her thigh. "Sorry." He froze and pulled his foot towards him.

"It's okay," Tifa replied shaking her head. Okay. She could do this. Deep breath and she patted his knee until he straightened his leg again. Another breath and Tifa shuffled backwards a little. His skin slid against hers.

"Tifa?" he asked in a strangled voice.

"Just wanted to try. Are you okay?" No thinking about where she was with his legs splayed either side of her. Or what was pressing hard against her back.

"I- I... Sorry. I'm... okay. I think. Sorry," he breathed.

Tifa shook her head. "It's fine. Don't be sorry." She leant back slowly, until at last his chest pressed against him. His pulse was racing, his heart hammering in his chest. "I like this. This is good."


	3. Anniversary - Tifa x Xehanort

The soft glow of the candles was tremendously relaxing. She had locked the door, the lights were off, the water was wonderfully hot, and - most importantly - there was a naked man lying right behind her. Tifa sighed in contentment as she leant back against Xehanort, his arms curling around her waist. "Finally," she said.

"You've been looking forward to this?" he asked with a touch of amusement.

"Of course." Tifa replied as she reached for the wine glass nearby. "This is the best way to spend our anniversary. Well, the first part anyway. I have plans for later."

"Oh really?" He was probably arching an eyebrow with that.

"Later." She tapped his knee. "You don't like this?" Tifa asked.

"Let me see; lying in a bath with a stunningly beautiful woman in my arms." Xehanort sounded amused as he squeezed her gently. "How could I resist? Though I will admit I have not been big on baths in the past. Never quite saw the appeal."

"Let me guess," Tifa replied. "Just hot water? Maybe some bubbles if you were feeling daring?"

"Something like that," he replied. "Certainly none of this," Xehanort added holding up a hand, his skin glinting with tiny particles of glitter.

"That," she said. "Is the best part. Well. That and the heat. But more than anything you need..." She leant forward and pulled the still fizzing bath bomb towards them. "At least one of these. They make all the difference."

"I think I see what you mean," he murmured in her ear and she dropped the dissolving object back into the water. One of his hands traced lazy patterns across her stomach - never drifting too high or too low. Not yet anyway; the potential was there, the teasing possibilities of his touch were so very exciting. Xehanort's lips closed on her ear. "Though I might need a few more examples until I understand fully."

"Is that so?" Tifa said closing her eyes. Xehanort shifted a little, his lips now touching her neck, a certain part of him pressed hard against her. "Incorrigible," she muttered. "We are supposed to be having a nice bath and enjoying the wine. Plenty of time for that later."

"Maybe. Though, I don't see why we can't do some of this now, enjoy the bath, and then maybe try some more of this a bit later," he purred.

Tifa could not help the smile. She opened her mouth to reply and someone tried the bathroom door. She froze, eyes wide as Xehanort tensed behind her. Who was it? The apartment should be empty for hours still. There were not meant to be any interruptions. Aeris and Yuffie should be out at the cinema. Or wherever Leon and Cloud were at the moment. Anywhere really - she didn't care. The only place they should not be was in this apartment - and certainly not outside the bathroom door. Unless it wasn't them? Not so good, but...

"Tifa?" That was definitely Aeris. A burglar might have been preferable. At least he could go to jail never to bother them again. Aeris on the other hand still needed to live here.

"What do we do?" Xehanort whispered in her ear.

"I have to say something," Tifa murmured, frustrated. "Pretending I'm not here is just going to make her more suspicious and quite how the door could be locked otherwise..." She glanced over her shoulder. "And with the lack of windows it's not like you can sneak out. Nowhere to hide either."

Not for the first time, the notion of keeping her boyfriend a secret from her room-mates seemed like a less than ideal plan. It had started with the best of intentions - spare Xehanort from the third degree Aeris and Yuffie seemed to delight in subjecting any of her new or potential partners to. Not meeting them or even going back to the apartment had worked in the past, but the pair were inquisitive almost to the point of instrusive whenever they found out she was seeing someone. The aftermath of more than one date resulted in the pair picking through every detail of Tifa's night with forensic precision. It was hard to fault them too much; they were looking out for her - just if they could only do that and give her some time to enjoy things as well.

And some times it was just nice to have something to herself. No one knew about Xehanort - and neither of them minded too much. There was a certain thrill to the clandestine nature of the relationship - one that had been going on for a whole six months with no one else any the wiser. Now this. "Tifa?" Aeris called again.

Tifa took a deep breath. "Aeris?" she replied.

"Hi!" A pause. "You in the bath?" Aeris asked. "Were you asleep? You know that's just asking for trouble."

"Yeah. I know. Sorry, I just... long day."

"Good job we came back then! Yuffie's feeling a bit under the weather," Aeris said.

Tifa grimaced "How is she?"

"I think some of her snacks went bad," Aeris replied.

"It was your noodles!" a weak voice insisted.

Aeris seemed not to hear her. "She'll be okay I reckon, just not feeling great right now."

"You going to be okay Yuffie?" Tifa asked.

"I'll live. Probably," Yuffie replied.

"I just don't really want her making a mess out here," Aeris replied.

"There's some big bowls in the kitchen," Tifa said. "She could use one of those."

"She already is," Aeris said. "But she could really do with a tranquliser, and they are kind of in there with you."

Tifa glanced at the medicine cabinet and then Xehanort. What could she say? What excuse could possibly justify not opening that door to leave Yuffie to feel terrible? "Don't have much of a choice," she murmured. "Sorry. I wanted to introduce you properly. Eventually."

"It's fine," he said shaking his head and smiling. "Life is rarely straight-forward after all."

"I'll make it up to you. Okay?" That got a pleased grin and a raised eyebrow. "Okay, I'm unlocking the door," Tifa called. She leant over the side of the bath. "Just so you know; there's someone else in here with me." She flicked the lock and retreated to the water as fast as she could. There was a momentary whispered conversation before the door opened to reveal a grinning Aeris. Yuffie looked groggily over her shoulder at them from near the floor.

"Hi Tifa," Aeris said brightly. She glanced at Xehanort. "Hi! I don't believe we've... met?"

"Hi," Xehanort replied. "I'm Xenahort." He appeared to be coping with this invasion remarkably well.

"Xehanort," Aeris replied nodding. "Well, I think we'll leave the two of you in peace. Just let me get out of your way..." Her gaze caught Tifa's as she reached for the medicine cabinet. Did her smile get a fraction bigger just then?

"You sure you're going to be okay Yuffie?" Tifa asked as if everything was normal and her flatmates had not found her naked in the bath with some mystery man wearing just as few clothes as she was. Yuffie gave her a thumbs up.

"Well. It was nice to meet you Xehanort. Hopefully Tifa will stop hoarding you all to herself and we can meet under slightly better circumstances. Sorry for the interruption. Enjoy... This, I guess?" Aeris pulled the door closed and a whispered conversation between her and Yuffie began outside.

"Guys, we can hear you," Tifa said loudly. Xehanort chuckled quietly.

"Sorry!" Aeris called. "I'll put Yuffie on the coach. And I'll make sure the volume on the TV is up high so don't worry about anythin-"

"Aeris!" Tifa said sharply. Something that might have been a giggle was just about audible as Aeris grunted and shifted Yuffie away from the door.

"Xehanort, my room mates," Tifa said gesturing to the door. "Sorry."

"It's fine," he replied, his arms around her waist again. "I did need to meet them at some point. They seem nice. And at least the benefit is less sneaking around?"

Tifa sipped at her wine as she leant back against him. "There is that at least."


	4. 3am - Aerith x Reno

Aeris found the bed empty beside her. The room was dim but the light from the bathroom gave her at least enough to see by. Bathroom. Light. Empty bed. Ah. More than likely Reno was answering a call of nature. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the cracked, stained ceiling waiting for him to return. The room looked much like what she expected from a dive motel in Wall Market. Maybe she should have insisted they go to one of the love hotels - theoretically they would have been nicer than this. But the evening had been going so well - so much better than expected or anticipated. It would also have taken longer to get there, and Reno was fantastic company. He made her laugh, scowled at anyone who even glanced at her. And his kissing-

She ran her fingers across her lips. Just as well he picked that spot outside to kiss her like that. The less delays the better as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Even the taste of cigarettes on his breath had not been as off-putting as she expected. He kissed her and kissed her and kissed her. She was panting by the time Reno's hands slipped from her waist to her ass - and she replied in kind. Aeris could not suppress her breathy moan as he cupped her breast; she grabbed his crotch in response making him grunt. Staying out in public was not an option any more. They hurried to the hotel without another delay, unwilling to quite let go of each other. Reno paid for the room, barely looking at the note denominations as he slammed the gil onto the counter and snatched the key.

The door was at least closed when she pounced on him, jacket soon stripped away and her fingers fumbling with his shirt buttons as he plucked at her dress'. They flung their clothes to the floor and entwined pleasurably on the bed. Aeris's fingers strayed to her throat; it felt a little sore after all her shouts and groans. Worth it though; Reno was an attentive and experienced lover. Ever afterwards - the post-coital doze so hazy and warm in his arms.

Aeris's dress lay crumpled near the door and her bra dangled from the bed, the hooks caught in the sheet. Her underwear was nowhere in sight; Reno's boxers lay in the middle of the floor. She looked at bathroom door, eager to cuddle again or anything more if he was up for it. Only; was that running water? Aeris rolled over and fumbled on the beside table for her phone. 3 am. What was he thinking? A bath at this time of morning? Aeris sighed and squirmed across the bed, dragging the sheet with her. She wrapped it around herself and padded towards the bathroom. "Reno?" she called.

"Yeah?" The enclosed room gave Reno's voice a trace of an echo and the water stopped, the muted throb of music from Wall Market now audible again.

"Okay if I come in?"

A moment. "Sure," he replied. Aeris pushed the door open. Reno grinned up at her from the off-white bath. He was smoking and seemed entirely unfazed as she stared down at his lithe, naked body. She glanced away, not wanting to stare, but the temptation was strong. Every tile looked cracked or broken - not much else to look at in the cramped room. Her gaze returned to Reno. He was still wearing those googles; they hadn't come off as the two of them fell into bed. Did he ever remove them? "What's up?" he asked taking a drag on his cigarette.

"I was..." Aeris frowned. "Well. You weren't in the bed, and... But now I'm wondering. Why a bath?"

Reno grinned. "No detectors in here you see." He pointed at the ceiling - nothing but a dim light bulb. "Getting dressed and going outside's a pain. Leaning out the window never works either - 'specially in hotels with those security things. So here's the only option."

"Oh." Surprisingly mundane, despite the apparent oddness. "But you didn't have to actually take a bath. Did you?" Aeris asked. "You didn't even put any salts or bubble bath or anything in there."

Reno shrugged, still grinning as her gaze swept over his body. "I like baths - and now you're wondering what possessed me to get up and have one now."

"The thought had crossed my mind," Aeris admitted, dragging her gaze back to his face.

"Habit I picked up during some long nights. Not a particularly interesting story - just something I do. Nothing quite like it. Not a fan of that oily crap or bubbles though." He stared at her for a long moment, his grin fading slightly. "Not having regrets about earlier are you?"

Aeris smiled and perched on the side of the bath. "No. Not in the slightest. I had fun. That was... that was all good." The end of his cigarette flared yellow, his grin returning. The resulting smoke was strangely mesmerising. "Hey, can I try one of those?"

"What a smoke?" Reno asked. Aeris nodded. "Sure." He offered her the box with a shrug. "Try not to let Tseng find out. Not sure how he'd react to his precious pure maiden tarnishing her lungs." She pulled a face at the mention of Tseng's name and he grinned. "Yeah; pointless to worry about that given the air down here. Quite what he thinks you've breathing everyday I don't know. Not certain this stuff's not as bad as the crap out there." He studied her. "Then again, I don't know if I want him finding out about us being here like this."

"Let's not talk about Tseng," Aeris said with more force than intended. Reno raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he reached for the lighter behind him. "Tseng thinks I'm something special. I'm really not." She leant forward, bringing her cigarette into contact with the lighter's flame. She frowned as the end blackened and burned.

"Inhale," Reno said.

Aeris blinked and sucked in a breath. Her mouth and lungs flooded with smoke, the fumes clogging her airways and left her spluttering and coughing. She tore the cigarette from her mouth, holding it at arm's length with a grimace. "That's vile," she croaked. "And you do this for pleasure?"

Reno shrugged. "Everyone says something like that the first time. You get used to it quick and then you wonder how you lived without 'em."

Aeris hesitantly brought the tobacco back to her lips and took another experimental breath. The effect was admittedly less hideous than the first, but it was still hard to see how it could lead the compulsion smokers seemed to have. "I... I can sort of see that," she eventually managed. Another drag; less terrible again.

"See? My advice is give up now though. These things get expensive," Reno said.

"Not willing to share?" Aeris asked.

"Hey, they don't pay me that well," he replied and slouched back. "You don't need to worry; people reckon best way to not want to smoke is to try it once."

"Yeah, that seems to have worked wonders for you," she replied. Reno didn't answer, his gaze fixed somewhere below her neckline. Aeris glanced down; the sheet had dropped a little while they talked exposing part of her chest. Incorrigible."I'll take the risk. So, room in there for another while I try this?" she added, letting the sheet dip a little further, Reno's gaze following the movement intently.

"You want to get in too?" he said and blinked, now actually meeting her gaze.

Aeris shrugged, playing at being care-free. "Why not? Not like I can take this outside. If I put it out it'll be waste. Plus I like baths too."

"Go for it." His manner might seem flippant, but he was paying careful attention as made room for her. Aeris stood and let the sheet slip from her shoulders with exaggerated slowness. Reno's gaze slid down her body as the sheet pooled on the floor, his ever-present smirk growing more pronounced. Aeris grinned in anticipation as she stepped into the bath.


	5. Best Laid Plans - Aerith x Tifa

"I mean it," Aeris stammered as her teeth chattered. "I am not going outside ever again."

"Isn't that going to make life a little difficult?"

"No. I will live in the bath and order room service for the rest of my days," Aeris insisted.

Tifa looked up at her from the nearly filled bath. Her girlfriend was hugging her shoulders and shivering in the middle of the bathroom. "You'd be warmer if you took your clothes off," she noted and pulled the robe's sleeve higher up her arm. The water was hot as she swirled it around and topped with plenty of faintly perfumed bubbles.

"Too cold," Aeris replied edging closer and staring into rising water. "Need to get warm first, then I get undressed."

"But don't you need to take them off-"

"Oh, no, no," Aeris interrupted, shaking her head. Her braid clung wetly to the back of her jacket. "I'll get in, then worry about my clothes. I need heat Tifa."

Tifa sighed and swirled the water. Nearly the right temperature. She could at least sympathise with Aeris - to a point. The rain had caught them both by surprise earlier. Today should have started with a stroll around town while they figured out their next destination. Instead the weather decided to punish them both for bringing neither coat nor umbrella when they were ten minutes into the surrounding grasslands. Dark clouds were overhead almost before they noticed and the heavens opened mere moments later. The couple beat a hasty retreat to their room at the Kalm inn, rushing for cover as best they could. But in a matter of minutes there ceased to be any point - both soaked through and shivering, courtesy of a chill breeze accompanying the rain.

There was little recourse but a wet trudge through the streets to the hotel and hope no one noticed them leaving massive damp patches in their wake. As soon as they got back Tifa started the bath off. But while she rid herself of her soaked clothing and put on a robe, Aeris did little besides tug her boots off and create an increasingly large puddle on the bathroom floor.

"Well, hope it's not too hot," Tifa said twisting the taps off. The water level was higher than intended, and a few bubbles escaped over the sides.

"I don't think that's possible." Aeris shuffled forwards.

"Are you really-" Tifa fell silent as Aeris dipped her still clothed foot into the bath. She sighed happily. "Oh, that's good." Aeris murmured and sent a surge of water onto the floor as she sat down. "This is... heaven." She lay back and closed her eyes, her clothes now even more waterlogged and floating around her. She looked happy but at the same time faintly ridiculous. Tifa smiled and turned to leave Aeris to it- "You can get in too. There's plenty of room."

Tifa turned back to find Aeris watching her. "It's fine," she said, pulling her sash tighter. "I'm not feeling too bad. I'll just get in the bed and read for a bit." Aeris looked unconvinced. "I'll get the next one, so, enjoy."

Aeris reached for her. "Don't be silly. Bet you the bath will be better than the bed." She snagged Tifa's sash; Tifa shuffled forward to prevent her undoing it. "The water's lovely." She smiled in that special Aeris way that had on previous occasions put Tifa in the mindset of letting her get away with almost anything.

"Sure there's enough room?" Tifa asked. The water did look so very tempting - plus Aeris was already in it.

"Plenty. You're wearing too much though," Aeris said.

"This coming from you?" Tifa slid the robe off and hung it on the door. Aeris was grinning when she turned back, her gaze carefully on Tifa's face. More than likely she had been watching every move Tifa made. Naturally. The heat washed right through Tifa, warming even her chilled bones as she stepped into the water.

"See?" Aeris pulled her legs up, her hands vanishing under the water; her sodden socks smacked against the tiled floor with a damp splash a moment later. "That feels even better," she said, stretching out, her wriggling toes ghosting along Tifa's leg.

"You're still over-dressed for the bath," Tifa murmured, her eyes almost closed.

"While true, it almost sounds like you want to get me naked," Aeris shot back, teasing her.

"You can stay dressed if you like," Tifa replied. "But the water feels really good like this." Aeris met her contented gaze and sat up to shrug her bolero jacket off. Her fingers struggled with the buttons on her dress. "Need a hand?" Aeris frowned down at her clothing.

"Maybe," she replied. Another fumbling attempt, tugging the fabric this way and that. "No good, fingers are all numb."

Tifa shuffled forwards and quickly undid the top two buttons. "There."

Aeris bit her lip. "Could you do the rest? Please?"

"I thought they were supposed to stay done up?" Aeris looked a little embarrassed now.

"They are, but I don't want to pull the whole thing over my head right now." So much easier if she had just gotten undressed. Then again- Tifa nodded and carried on, her hands brushing against breast, stomach and thigh. Tifa peeled the soaked garment away from Aeris's skin and wrung as much of the water out as she could. Her attempt to throw it at the towel trail was not a complete success; the dress hit the intended target, but immediately slid into a crumpled heap on the floor. Fine for now. They would need to hang everything up later. And hopefully find somewhere to do the laundry.

Aeris fumbled under the water again and extracted her underwear - her panties joined her socks with another splash. The catch on her bra seemed to be giving her problems. "Tifa?" she asked imploringly, gesturing to her sole remaining article of clothing.

Tifa fought back another grin, covering it with an exaggerated sigh. Aeris leant into her - closer than necessary, but right now the closeness was appealing; even if her skin was still freezing. Aeris tensed as Tifa's fingers fumbled with the catch, shoulders relaxing as it unhooked. "Thanks," Aeris sighed quietly and slipped off the last of her clothing.

"Better?" Tifa asked.

"Much," Aeris replied and fidgeted. "Just a shame the water's not deeper." She shuffled forward a bit, her feet brushing against Tifa's legs again. "I would have liked to get my shoulders underwater." She rubbed arms, still looking cold and leant back again, her chest above the thick layer of bubbles.

"Definitely not enough room," Tifa agreed cautiously stretching out to find her foot sliding along Aeris's thigh.

"Well, there is an option we can try," Aeris said quietly. Her tone did not match the swiftly hidden grin on her face.

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Aeris shuffled around so she was facing away from Tifa. "If you move forward and then lean back..." She glanced at her over her shoulder.

Tifa bit back her own smile. "I think I see where you're going. Like this?" Tifa slide her hips forward, her legs now either side of Aeris.

"Just like that," Aeris murmured.

Tifa slid further down into the tub, her hair hanging over the edge and her shoulders slipping beneath the bubbles and water. Aeris lay back against her, the water welling higher again and forcing Tifa to shuffle up to keep her mouth above water. Aeris's skin was warming nicely now, the chill still there but fading fast. "Didn't expect to be doing this today." Tifa kissed Aeris's hair.

"Do you mind though?" Aeris asked as she wriggled into a more comfortable position.

"Not in the slightest." Tifa curled her arms around Aeris's waist and pressed her lips to her hair. Her partner tilted her head; their lips met as they lay surrounded by the hot water.


	6. Coming Home - Aerith x Tifa x Cloud

"Hello?" Aeris called as she unlocked the front door of the Seventh Heaven. Already the situation was odd - a locked front door; very unusual for this time of day. And now, the interior seemed deserted. She pushed the door closed behind her, hand straying to the pocket of her bag where her phone was. Easy enough to find out where people were - and let them know she was back. No. Not quite yet; the trek across the city had been more tiring than she realised - especially when she had not previously factored in how heavy her bag was. But she was also here now and eager to see people. After all, it had been how long since she last came back? Two months? More? It might even be three or four now. Not good. Aeris shook her head. "New promise," she muttered. "Come back more regularly - and stop getting distracted." Good in principle but hard to resist the lure of what might be over the next rise or in the bottom of a gorge. No. She could resume her explorations later; she needed to be fair to her partners. But... She was home, and bed was just upstairs. So; snooze first, then figure out where the others were.

Aeris dragged her bag across the swept, clean floor to the stairs. Seeds got heavy fast it turned out - especially when they numbered in the hundreds. Tiring to carry but worth it; more for the garden gradually assembled at the heart of Edge. Not everything she brought back was capable of growing in this climate naturally - and those that did produce shoots would not necessarily thrive. The ones that did were enough to make all her explorations worthwhile. Plus it never hurt to take the seeds too whenever she found them. Just in case. Not that Aeris was ever sure what that case actually entailed outside of another apocalyptic event threatening the Planet, but there was no reason to fight the compulsion. Just in case.

Odd. Denzel and Marlene's shoes were not on the rack near the stairs, but Cloud and Tifa's boots were. Cloud's fully assembled sword stood nearby too - ready to go when he went on deliveries outside the city. "Curious," she muttered. "Hello?" she called again louder. "Cloud? Tifa?" Nothing. She held her breath for a long moment.

No way anyone could have died and she not felt it. Absolutely not - the lack of mako reactors ensured everything was clear across the world, though fortunately no loved ones had yet returned to the Planet. As far as she was aware anyway. But then; what if it had not been quite that bad? What if Cloud and/or Tifa were seriously ill or injured in an attack? What if someone broke in, or tried to rob the Seventh Heaven? She glanced around. Didn't seem like it; the bar was still too neat, the till closed and secure. Well, unless someone cleaned the mess afterwards. Not the outcome of a sudden violent attack. Okay. So, either Cloud and Tifa had new shoes - a definite possibility, though decadent given the boots here while worn were perfectly servicable - and were out with Marlene and Denzel; or they were still here somewhere. And not answering her greeting. Which then meant either they had not heard her or were unable to answer. And if that was true and the kids really weren't here... Aeris grinned.

Her exhaustion diminished a little; too long for her to not be able to muster up the energy to join them in bed. And she could surprise them both as well. Perfect. Aeris slipped her boots off and padded up the stairs in her socks, the stairs not even creaking a little. Still nothing audible though; no rhythmic creaks or stifled moans or even the-kids-aren't-here-so-we-can-be-as-noisy-as-we-like groans. Maybe they had already finished? Aeris clicked her tongue and paused at the first landing. Cloud's office was open, the room vacant. At least the camping bed was nowhere in sight - Tifa must have finally convinced him to sleep in the big bed no matter how early or late he returned home. Finally. Now to get there herself. The two of them could be dozing, tired after their exertions. If so, she would curl up beside them for a surprise when they woke up.

No creak in the mechanism or from the hinges as the bedroom door opened - even the handle moved smoothyl and silently. She could probably give Yuffie a run for her money in stealth terms. Aeris bit back the smile and stepped into the room. And stopped. All that effort was for nothing; the bed was empty.

She should have phoned ahead. A heavy sigh filled with disappointment. Both Cloud and Tifa asked her to tell them when she would be back numerous times, but it was always hard to pass up the look of shock, surprise and delight as she strolled through the door. Of course, it seemed like she had somehow done herself out of that delight this time. No. There were still options. Something like a fairy-tale princess, waiting for a kiss form her true loves sounded appealing. Easy to sort; she would need to hide her boots, her staff and her bag. Then a long nap and wait for someone to find her. Awoken with a kiss sounded pretty good.

The bar or the deliveries must be doing well for the new footwear. Had Cloud purchase a newer, slightly less cumbersome sword too? Find out later. First things first; painkillers. Her head was starting to throb. Her last drink was some hours previous, and concentrating in the silence made the skin of her forheard feel tight. She massaged her temple as she left the bedroom, stepped across the hall and pulled the bathroom door open. And stopped. Cloud and Tifa stared at her wide-eyed from a bubble-filled bath. "Aeris!" Tifa exclaimed with an embarrassed smile. "I didn't know you were back. Would be back." She bit her lip.

"I am," Aeris replied smiling at her. "This is new," she added and took a careful step forward.

Cloud was looking very red. Heat or embarrassment? Knowing him; more than likely both. "Spur of the moment idea," he murmured. "Tifa was talking about how great it was when the two of you took a bath together..."

"And then he offered to fill in," Tifa added when he trailed off.

"Nice isn't it?" Aeris asked, toying with a stray ringlet and crouching beside them.

"I think so?" Cloud replied.

Tifa sighed. "He doesn't seem to get it." Her expression turned a little more serious. "You were supposed to call ahead you know."

"I know," Aeris replied glibly. Was there enough room for her too? Crammed in between them? The water looked inviting and it should do wonders for her tired feet. Painkillers. Wandered to the sink and extracted two tablets from the cabinet. "Glad I didn't though," she said as she swallowed the painkillers back. "I would have missed out on this." They grinned back at her impossible to resist smile. "I think I like this as a welcome home even if you never planned for it." A glance down the hall; Marlene's door stood open and the room looked vacant. "I presume the kids are with Barret or Reeve?"

"Yeah, Barret," Tifa nodded. "We, er, wanted some alone time?" Cloud flushed again.

Aeris fiddled with her top button. "I can leave you too it if you want?" She gestured at the door. "Let you finish up."

"Not now you're here!" Tifa insisted. "Look, um, just give us a few minutes and we'll be out and dressed." She moved to get out of the bath.

"And where would the fun be in that?" Aeris shrugged off her jacket. "I'd much rather join you in there." She pulled her dress over her head and dropped it behind her.

"Aren't you tired?" Cloud asked with a frown. "After the trip?"

"Cloud?" Aeris asked. "While I am glad you are concerned for my health; do you really not want me to get in with you two?"

"I would," Cloud answered after a very short pause.

"Of course we would!" Tifa added.

"Good." Aeris shed her underwear and splashed happily into the bath with both of her lovers.


	7. Downpour - Aerith x Zack

The muted whir of the hair-dryer in the next room stopped and Aeris held her breath, waiting to see what the man outside would do next. The knock on the door made her jump and she slid deeper into the bath, ensuring her shoulders were under the water.

"Hi, er, Aeris?" the man said. "I think I got your dress dry. Mostly. Um... just let me know when you want it?"

"I will," Aeris called back. The door was still locked; no harm in being cautious. All part of day to day life in Midgar. "Thanks," she added.

"No problem." Footsteps padded away; nothing further from her benefactor. Aeris sighed; a few more minutes in the warm water and she really would need to get out. By then her underwear and socks should have dried off on the towel rail. The shiny metal structure still impressed her. Absurd; she was lying in a huge tub, in a bathroom in a luxurious hotel she could never hope to afford a room in, and the one thing she drawing her attention was a heated towel rail. Well, it was good it was there; without that her clothes would never dry - and at no point did she want him to dry her underwear using the hair-dryer.

As great as the towel rail was, she was overlooking so much more; the pristine, mould-free ceilings in the bathroom. The enormous bed with the deep red covers in the main room - the shade a perfect match to the curtains tied back beside the gigantic windows. And still more; the springy carpet she left damp footprints on, the tiny foil wrapped chocolates on the pillows, the faint - if artificial - floral scent in the air.

At least she was warm now; thanks to a stranger offering her a helping hand when she least expected it.

 _The rain came out of nowhere. Weather reports for Midgar had a habit of being less than totally accurate, but usually at least the broad details were correct. It was unusual for them to not warn about the risk of a downpour at all - and thanks to that, Aeris's umbrella was back at home while she was on the upper plate. It had only been an hour since she started selling her flowers when the rain started and soaked her to the skin in seconds. Ducking into the nearest overhang she could find helped little. Wonderful. And almost her entire stock remained unsold - unlikely anyone was going to be keen on buying flowers in this weather._

 _"Are those real?" a voice asked._

 _A SOLDIER was staring at her basket in fascination. The glowing ring around his pupils gave him away - always gave Shinra's elite away, even if, like this one, they were out of uniform. The man with black, spiky hair looked like he was trying very hard not to attract attention - casual dress and sunglasses. However absurd it was at the moment, at least he would escape most people's attention. Peering over the top of said sunglasses defeated the object somewhat. Unless Shinra had changed tactics significantly, it was unlikely he was here to drag her back to the corporate headquarters. "Yes, my flowers are real," she said, forcing a cheerfulness into her voice despite the chill pervading her whole being. "Ten gil each."_

 _The price varied depending on customer. Probably she should have offered one gil and just got rid of the flowers as fast as possible. Then at least she could get home and warm. But rumour had it that Shinra paid SOLDIER extremely well; he could afford it. "I'll take them all," the SOLDIER said. Aeris shivered, her hand tightening on her staff. "Not like that," the man replied holding his hands up. "I was trying to help you out."_

 _"Help me out?" Aeris asked her teeth chattering._

 _"You look - and sound - cold. How about we get you somewhere dry? And if I buy your flowers you can go home, right?" Aeris nodded. "Is it far?"_

 _"Is what far?" she asked._

 _"Home."_

 _A few hours - and would involve a damp trudge to the nearest station, the hour or so on the train to get below the plate and then another damp trudge through Sector Five. "Pretty far," she admitted._

 _"Figures," he said. "So. How many flowers?"_

 _"Fifty." More or less - she never bothered with an exact count each morning._

 _"Fifty huh? So, five hundred gil." The SOLDIER pulled out his wallet. "Can you break a note?" he asked holding a thousand gil note. Aeris shook her head. "Guess you get to keep the change then."_

 _"Can't let you do that," Aeris stuttered as she shivered._

 _"Then owe me. Look, we need to get you into the warm before you freeze to death." He gestured down the street. Under any other circumstance, Aeris would have made it quite clear that both his presence and his offer were not remotely welcome. But right now, she was so very, very cold._

 _"Okay," she said and held out the contents of the basket to him._

 _"Keep them for now." She nodded and awkwardly started off in the indicated direction. "Nice to meet you by the way. I'm Zack."_

 _"Aeris," she replied._

Difficult to leave the bath even if the room was nicely warm, but she could not live in it. Not easily anyway. And what would she tell mom? Aeris shook her head and wrapped the towel tightly around her chest before venturing closer to the door. "Zack?" she called.

Soft footsteps approached. "Yeah?"

"Can I have my dress back now?"

"Sure!" Aeris hefted her staff in one hand; Zack had not even blinked when she insisted on taking it into the bathroom with her. Aeris braced her foot on the tile-floor - not enough friction to stop an intrusion if it came to it, but she had to try - and opened the door a fraction. A mass of pink cloth pushed through the gap.

"Thanks," Aeris said as she immediately pushed the door closed and twisted the lock. Safe again. Her underwear was slightly stiff from the hasty drying and the dress felt odd against her skin. Everything needed rewashing as soon as she got back. Pyjamas for the rest of the day sounded perfect; curled up in bed in the warm with her book.

Nice to have dry clothes at least, her mood vastly improved as a result. Zack looked away from the window as she exited the bathroom. Just how soft was that mattress for it to dip so much with him sat on the edge like that? "Better?" he asked.

"Much. Thank you," she said. She grabbed her boots and sat in the nearest chair as she laced them up. They were frustratingly still a little damp, but they would do to get her home.

"Don't suppose I could ask you to join me for dinner?" Zack asked as she finished lacing the first boot.

She paused and met his gaze. "You can ask," she said. "The answer will be no, however." Second boot on, slightly damp jacket over her shoulders and she was ready to go.

Zack nodded. "That's fine." He held up a folded note. "For the flowers."

Aeris took the money. "Thank you. I promise I will get you your change... Somehow." She was perhaps being too harsh. "And thank you for helping me. I-" She snapped her mouth closed. Zack grinned.

"No problem," he said. "Do you need any help getting home?"

"I think I'll be fine," Aeris replied. She picked the mass of flowers from the basket and laid them on the nearby desk. Another glance at her impromptu saviour. He was staring out the window again. Gentle smile, eyes the colour of the summer sky, tell-tale green ring around the pupil. Would dinner and spending more time with him be so bad? He was cute, polite and respectful. Deep breath. "Would another night be okay?"

"Another night?" Zack twisted around to look at her in confusion.

"For dinner," Aeris replied and smiled. "Your question?"

"Oh!" His surprise soon turned to delight. "It would. I mean..." He shook his head. "Tonight would have been the best since I'm not back in Midgar for another week or so..." He trailed off. "This time next week would work though."

"Next week then. Meet at the same time?" Aeris asked, his smile encouraging her own. "And the same place?"

"Okay," Zack said. "Do you want me to maybe bring an umbrella this time? Just in case?"

"I'll bring one with me I think," Aeris said. "Until next week then?"

"Until then. Bye Aeris," he said.

"Bye Zack," she replied, still smiling as she left him and retraced her steps through the hotel. Hopefully their next meeting would be a nicer time to be in his company.


	8. The Perfect Plan - Cloud x Yuffie

Coming to Costa del Sol at this time of year - early Autumn - had been a good plan. Peak season or even late in the summer would have seen Yuffie jostled on all sides by far too many holiday-makes trying to cram themselves into far too small a hot tub. And likely the others would grumble about finding a spot on the beach or finding anything worthwhile in the shops. As a result the hypothetical holiday sounded a lot more like hard work than relaxation. Not to mention the sun would have wiped out her energy in no time leaving her hot and irritable - at least now it was bearable. So less intensely hot sun, but still no rain and they were able to do near everything they could at the height of summer. A few grumbles about tanning aside and everyone was happy.

Getting a tan never seemed like that much of a fun proposition no matter how much Aeris and Tifa seemed to enjoy it. Yuffie had at least tried to understand the appeal. Once; on her second visit to Costa del Sol and the first time in the company of Avalanche. She lay down with the other two girls, erring on the side of caution and not exposing as much skin as they were either, but well away from any nearby shade. Sun-creamed up, lounging on a towel wearing sunglasses seemed to be all the preparation necessary. After that there seemed little to do but wait and see what happened. After five minutes of lying in the open, desperately wanting to get a drink and cool off, Yuffie gave up. She beat a hasty retreat to the nearest source of shade - stopping only to snag a bottle of water from some unguarded belongings on the way past. Her destination was - honestly unintended - the tiny materia shop near the beach. She smiled at the memory as she lay back in the comfortably warm tub and sipped her cocktail. Once the others found out how she'd run the establishment she had to repay the owner for every little thing she took. She had not taken the directive well at the time; it was for Wutai naturally, and if it came at the owner's expense, that was a sacrifice she was willing to make. And really, just what had he expected when he put her in charge? The argument went nowhere and resulted in a few days of tense, prickly conversations. Their arrival at North Corel put it out of everyone's minds.

The sky was getting dark, but the water was still hot and the lack of anyone else with her allowed her to spread out and enjoy the bubbles - for now. The cooler Autumn air would make the later dash to the hotel more awkward. Yuffie sighed. She always missed one detail. Well... Her materia pouch was at hand, and Aeris had been pretty good at creating a miasma of warmth around the party as they trudged towards and past Icicle Inn. If Yuffie could pull off the same trick then she would never be cold again. Assuming she still had a fire materia with her naturally.

But then that was only if the first principles of the presumably extremely low-powered fire spell were not beyond her. Fishing the green orb from the bag, she concentrated, the three spells it contained springing to mind with that curious sense of knowing. Fire, Fira and Firaga. No spell for warming the air. Presumably it would be Fire, but weakened somehow. And here was a good enough place to practice - not much to damage. Probably.

No. She was losing focus. Replace the materia and focus on the plan - that was more important right now. Time to review just where everyone was likely to be. Aeris and Tifa were almost certainly canoodling in their room - that was about all she needed to know about them right now. Vincent - on the other hand - had declined the invitation to join them. Now he really could use a tan if nothing else; not her kind of thing, but the man was so pale. And in any case he could do with spending more time in their company. More than likely he was in the shadows somewhere gloomy. Or perched a roof in Nibelheim as lighting split the sky and the rain poured while he wailed the name of his lost love- Yuffie smirked. Too easy to get carried away with him. And also not the point once again. Barret and Marlene would be in bed - the young girl would be far too tired from rushing around to still be awake at this time of day. Cid and Shera were likely stargazing on the beach - both reminiscing of the time they got to see the constellations a bit closer. Hopefully that chance would come again sometime soon.

Reeve was always too busy for their little get-togethers, though Cait Sith was with them to at least give the impression of the old days. In the daytime he would normally wind up accompanying Marlene, Aeris and Nanaki as they explored the sand dunes and further along the beach. Nanaki himself should be asleep or pawing through a book by now after recovering from his strongly encouraged march through the sand-dunes to his perpetual discomfort. He had never taken to the heat of the resort terribly well before and his attitude had not changed.

Which left Cloud. As per his day-time routine he would check in with everyone still awake and not in a room with a locked door before returning to the bar for a quiet drink until it was time for him to turn in. Disturbing Aeris and Tifa was not something done in good grace - and waking Marlene would only serve to make her cranky in the morning, and Barret cranky right now. But he never worried about knocking on Yuffie's door. Over the past few nights, Cloud had stopped by and once she answered he would then spend a few red-faced moments apparently trying to figure out what he wanted to say before wishing her a good night and sloping away rather quickly. And like that the plan formed. What better time? They were on holiday, both single and Cloud's face either meant he had drunk way too much at the bar or... Yuffie grinned.

Tonight would be different. Cloud would find a note taped to Yuffie's door - assuming no one took it. Another oversight. Yuffie sighed. Well, if it was still there, he would read the request to change into his swimwear and meet her exactly here. Just about... now. "Yuffie?" Cloud. Perfect.

"Cloud!" she said brightly and held up a glass. "I got you a-" She peered at the glass and tried to remember what she had asked the barman for - aside from asking for another of whatever the cute blonde with the spiky hair and the faintly glowing eyes usually ordered. The barman knew who she meant and got the drink ready while she studied the extensive cocktail menu. Just as well the man caught on; she would probably have gotten hung up on describing Cloud's eyes otherwise. "-drink," she eventually finished and looked at her companion. And stared. As much as she requested Cloud to show up in his swimwear, she had not anticipated he would walk through the cooling air like that - bare-chested and clutching a towel. Must be the SOLDIER constitution. At least he was wearing swim-shorts. She would have cracked up if he came wearing anything as revealing as some of the guys on the beach.

"Just you?" Cloud asked seeming to check to see if Avalanche, the Turks or the Shinra executive board were lurking nearby. He really needed to relax more.

"Just me," Yuffie smiled. "Want to join me?" She leant back and spread out in the bubbling water.

His complexion reddened a little, but he nodded, dropped his towel and stepped into the tub. "Never tried one of these."

"You've been missing out!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Hot tubs are the best." She handed him his drink. "I... I never actually asked. What is that?"

"Sol wine," Cloud replied taking a sip.

"...can I try some?"

Cloud shrugged. "If you like. I don't mind sharing."

Yuffie sipped the drink and shuddered. "Bleh!" She swigged her own drink quickly, the taste displacing the wine's after-taste. "Definitely bleh. Don't think that's one for me. I need something much sweeter." Like you. No. That was way too cheesy. It should make Cloud blush which was always appealing, but, no. She resorted to another grin instead.

Cloud nodded vaguely, not reacting to her smile and instead took another sip of his drink. "This is nice." He glanced around. The artificial light inside the tub ought to obscure anything in the darkening surroundings - but for all she knew, the SOLDIER enchancements let him see everything clear as day. Shouldn't be many - if any - people around right now. Everything was as perfect as she could arrange. And yet; he was sat on one side of the tub and she was on the other. It did not seem as if he was going to make any kind of first move.

"It is." Yuffie put her drink down. "Do you know what would make it better though?" Cloud blinked and shook his head. "This." She darted across the water to kiss him.


	9. Bubble Bath - Aerith & Elmyra

Aeris stared at the bath with suspicion. She had seemed unsure of the fixture ever since her arrival, but never actually made a point of asking about it. "What are those?" she asked eventually pointing at the water.

"Bubbles," Elmyra replied as she checked the water one more time and twisted the taps off.

"Bubbles," Aeris echoed as she nodded. "What... what do they do?"

"Do?" Elmyra frowned. "They're..." She trailed off under the scrutiny of Aeris's undivided attention, the girl again an enigma. There was so much she would love to know about her adopted daughter - so much the woman at the station could have told her before the light went out of her eyes. Aeris herself was certainly not forth-coming with details or specifics of her past; even gentle coaxing in that direction made the girl clam up immediately. After two or three similar reactions, Elmyra became reluctant to pry. Dredging the past up was not going to help either of them - they just had to move on as best they could with the situation as they found it. As mother and daughter - as strange as that seemed even now. Would Elmyra really want to know the specifics of what lead them together? It must have been traumatic or cruel, or even both; how else could a child not know about bubble bath? She sighed. "They're for fun," Elmyra said and scooped up a handful of foam.

Aeris reached out a tentative hand and poked at the bubbles. She blinked at the remnants clinging to her finger as she withdrew it. "I don't get it? And why is there so much water?"

"We need to get you clean-" The blood-drained from Aeris's face and Elmyra cut herself off. Her daughter hunched over and backed quickly away from the tub, her gaze flicking rapidly around the room. Was she looking for something? Was getting clean inextricably linked to something unpleasant? She had muttered something confusing about escaping from a lab on the first day; the implication now made Elmyra's blood run cold.

More mysteries and a sense of something terrible in the girl's past. Food initially confused Aeris by sight and then later by the sheer quantity she could take. It was still a little difficult to get her to wear something different from one day to the next. Had she always worn the same thing in the past with no choice in the matter? Never mind. What now? She could leave the bath for today and try to reintroduce her to the idea some other time. Not the best outcome; Aeris had spent far too long charging around the garden delighting in the grass and mud. "It's not scary," Elmyra tried in a soft voice.

Aeris's gaze was haunted. "Don't like getting clean," she muttered. With a wince, her gaze locked on the shower hose and she shrank back further, shivering as she pressed against the tiled wall.

"Baths are great!" Elmyra tried with a force cheerfulness. "It's like-" How to describe taking a bath to someone who apparently never had? The feel of hot water surrounding her, the tension in muscles and every ache melting away? Or how half her doubts and worries seemed to vanish or become manageable after a good soak? Aeris was still up against the wall, checking all around her; at least she had yet to panic and run, though such a reaction could not be far off. Spook her too badly or pry too far and Aeris would flee - not far admittedly, but the risk was there. Midgar was too new it seemed and venturing beyond the garden was too much. For now. Elmyra previously gave her space to calm down and wander back when Aeris ran, her daughter would later do her best to pretend nothing had happened.

Of all the possible ideas to prove her words to Aeris, there was only one way Elmyra could think of to get the non-threatening nature of bathing across. She stood up and started undoing her dress. "What are you doing?" Aeris asked in a panic.

"Well," Elmyra said as she folded her clothes neatly on top of the laundry hamper. "If you don't want to have a bath, I thought I would. Shame to waste the water." Aeris stared at her in disbelief; it really did seem as if the notion of someone voluntarily getting clean was absurd.

"You... you want to?" Aeris managed after a pause as Elmyra stepped into the bath. Not hot enough for her; she was much more cautious for the temperature Aeris could handle. Tolerable at least.

"I do. Like I said, they're great." She smiled encouragingly. As great as they were, how long had it been since she had last taken a bubble bath? Time constraints meant she usually showered. She sat back and wafted some of the bubbles around. "See? Fun. Not scary."

Aeris swallowed, eyes wide and took a careful step forward. The shower still met with a suspicious, wary look, but eventually she dragged her gaze back to the bath. "Fun?" she asked.

"Yes," Elmyra said carefully.

"Not scary?"

"No."

Aeris licked her lips. "Can... can I try?" she asked. She bit her lip, her body tense.

"You can. Just let me get out-"

"No!" Aeris said quickly. "I... I want to get in. With you. If... if that's okay?"

Elmyra considered the request for a moment. "Okay. Just this once. But if you're okay with this, next time can you try on your own?"

"Maybe," Aeris said and struggled out of her clothes, dropping them in a messy pile beside her. She prodded the bubbles again. The foam did not counter-attack - a sign that seemed to comfort her. Now the big step. Aeris put her foot into the water, squeaked and jumped back. "Hot!"

"Just a second," Elmyra said sitting forward. "I'll make it colder. Okay?" An approving nod; she would need to bear with it - the water was barely going to be lukewarm at this rate. Aeris stared at the water as it splashed into the bath; Elmyra fidgeted as far from the streaming cold as she could. "Okay, how about now?" Elmyra asked as the temperature lowered. She shut the tap off and shuffled back to where it was warmer. Aeris re-introduced her foot and paused, debating. "Better?"

"Better," Aeris confirmed and clambered over the side. She stood knee-deep in the bath and sat down in a rush, gasping as she did so. Her eyes were wide and in the next moment she giggled. Elmyra smiled back; Aeris's past was hers alone - Elmyra's job was to help her move into the future. One step at a time she would help her daughter live.


	10. The Past - Jessie & Tifa

"Bad news," Tifa announced as Jessie kicked the door closed behind her.

"Huh?"

Her room-mate was sat on her bed, knees drawn up to her chest. "I think the shower's broken."

"What again?" Jessie sighed, glancing at the bathroom as she dropped the shopping bags onto the counter-top.

"This has happened before?" Tifa blinked at her.

"Every couple of weeks," Jessie said. "Thought it had been working for a bit too long." She wandered into the bathroom and turned the tap on. Nothing except for a distant grinding; a moment later the shower head spat out a dribble of rust-coloured water. "Yeah, that's busted." She leant back out of the bathroom. "How about the kitchen?"

"The sink still works." Tifa wandered over to her. "And the toilet still flushes."

"Small mercies," Jessie replied.

"You don't-"

"Yep," Jessie interrupted with a grimace. "One time it all stopped working for the whole building. That was not a good month. And pretty expensive."

"Month?" Tifa exclaimed and slumped against the wall. "Is... is there any way we can fix it? You fix things all the time..."

"My speciality is electronics not plumbing sorry," Jessie said appraising the shower. "I can try though; the principles can't be that hard. Cheaper than paying for a plumber; though we might end up doing that anyway."

"No way we can try tonight?"

Jessie shook her head. "After hours is going to cost way too much for someone else to fix it. And to get the tools... Hey, there's the public baths if you want to wash up though. If it's not fixed soon we'll probably need to go there."

"Public?" Tifa asked, panic stricken as her hands clutched at her chest. Right over the scar.

"Uh, yeah," Jessie said looking away as she scratched her head. "If it helps it's not mixed bathing or anything?" Tifa still looked unconvinced. "I admit it's not private, like, at all, but they do provide towels and some people are really uncomfortable getting undressed so they wear the towels in the bath too..." She took a deep breath. "Not sure I'm explaining this very well." Tifa did not look encouraged. Jessie checked her watch; just after seven - the baths would be open until eleven. "If you're okay with it we can go when it's quieter. That way there'll be less chance of anyone seeing you?"

Tifa gave the shower one last, forlorn glance. "I do want a bath. I... I'll try." Jessie smiled.

* * *

"Here we go!" Jessie announced. It was an hour before closing and the bath house was already close to deserted. Barely anyone on the women's side - some boisterous noise from the men's. Tifa dawdled in the changing room until Jessie realised why and made sure she was between her friend the other two strangers in the room. Neither paid them much attention, but Tifa was visibly less tense once they were gone. Jessie purposefully looked away as her friend undressed, turning back to find Tifa's towel wrapped as high around her chest as possible. Not even the end of the scar was visible anymore, though there was now the slightly unfortunate side-effect of basically no material was covering her waist.

Tifa sighed as she tugged the towel down a tiny amount, clamping her arms tight against her sides. "Just going to have to put up with it, I guess."

"You don't want another towel?" Jessie asked.

"No."

"Sure?" A nod. "Okay. Let's wash up." She lead Tifa through into the main room and the washing stations. "Wash here first and then we go soak in the big bath."

"Never been anywhere like this." Tifa gazed around the room. Like many other occasions, Jessie resisted the urge to use this as a starting point to pry into the mysteries of Tifa Lockhart's past.

"I think you'll like it," Jessie said. "Not as convenient as home obviously. And when it's busy it's just a pain. And if you come during day time, half the time you have kids charging around..." She shrugged. "But as long as you come latish, it's pretty good. And you don't need to clean the room up after either."

Tifa nodded rubbing her shampoo into her hair. "It's okay. Really."

Jessie smiled and left her to her ablutions as she teased out knots and tangles with her fingers. "I forgot how good this is after being at work all day," Jessie groaned as she poured the warm water over her head. "Eats up free time, but it's not like we're going to do this every-night is it? Well, at least I don't plan on it."

"Would be a little expensive," Tifa commented and carefully re-wrapped her towel.

Another tub of water over her hair and the last of the conditioner washed out. "Okay. All clean, washed and ready to soak?" Tifa nodded. "Then let's go." They rounded the partition and Jessie managed a few more steps before realizing Tifa was no longer beside her. "Tifa?" Her friend was a few paces back, quivering and staring ahead of her in terror.

"What, what is that?" she asked, stammering as her hand clutched her towel, knuckles white with tension.

"Mount Nibel?" Jessie asked following her friend's gaze. "It's a- Are you okay?" she asked in a softer voice as she stepped closer.

Tifa's had closed her eyes and she was breathing hard. "Why is it here?"

"Why? Tradition I guess. Shinra used to make a really big thing about the mountain and the reactor. First one they ever built." Wrong answer? Tifa screwed her eyes up tighter, her body shivering despite the heat of the room. "Do you want to get out of here?" Tifa shook her head. "I don't mind. We got clean, we don't have to stay."

"I want to have the bath," Tifa said, her eyes still closed. "I just- I can't look at... it." She took another deep breath.

The mural was instantly recognisable if somewhat stylised; how had it provoked such a reaction? "If you're sure; I think I can get you to the bath okay. And if you're facing away that should help right?" Tifa nodded. "And I promise you, I will learn how to fix our shower so if it breaks. That or I'll wind up flooding the place." That got a smile. Jessie glanced around, working out a route. "Okay, so, can you look down?" Tifa lowered her head and opened her eyes. "Let's get in the bath. Don't worry - I've got you."

Tifa did not relax even as she sat down in the bath. Her tension made Jessie tense. So many more questions now - and why did the image affect her so? More answers she could never seek - and no visits to public baths with Tifa; it was likely all of them had the same mural of Mount Nibel's towering bulk.


	11. Dreams and Whisky - Elena x Shera

The Tiny Bronco vanished out of sight leaving a trail of smoke in it's wake. Looked like it might just about stay airborne until it was over the sea - the craft should make it. Hopefully the Captain's visitors would be okay too. And the Captain naturally. Shera sighed and set about picking up the fragments of fence strewn across the street. The still remaining Shinra staff largely ignored her as she worked; she earned nothing more than a few suspicious glances as she piled the debris beside the house. The Captain was gone - for now. And for now she could relax. At least once Shinra left.

What would she do now? It was clear the new president had little more interest in resuming the space program than the old. Shinra 26 would remain exactly where it was and would continue to rust in the open air. And with it space-flight remained solely a theoretical possibility. A shame; before the project's cancellation she was due to pilot the Shinra 27 - once constructed of course. Maybe if she hadn't caused the Captain to abort the launch. Maybe she could have fixed the issue in time. But then she would never get her chance to go to space that way either.

Maybe it would have been better to let the rocket launch and explode. It would have put a definitive end to their dreams rather than forcing them into this frustrating limbo state. Though that would mean the Captain wouldn't be around anymore. No. She could not think like that. They chose to wait, hoping the company would grace them with new funding or interest in their ideas. Even getting the program assigned to anyone but Palmer would help immensely.

"Hey, are... are you okay?" a voice asked. "Hey?" Someone was talking to her.

A woman in a black suit was watching her. A Turk; unsurprising with Shinra involved. A female one was somewhat rarer. "I should be. Okay that is," she said turning her attention back to her task. Nearly done.

"Okay. But, it's just; is this your house?"

"Mostly," Shera replied glancing at it. The place she shared with the Captain - and far more permanent than either of them had anticipated. It often seemed they had both lived there far longer than was healthy.

"Did Avalanche do all this?"

"Those were Avalanche?" Shera blinked at the woman. "They didn't seem a bad lot." From Shinra's usual news coverage it was something of a surprise to find the town was not reduced to smoking ruins in their wake. Maybe the lack of a plate to drop on them? Gallows humour. "Do you need me for something?" Shera tensed, fearing the answer.

"No. Not really," the woman said. "I just thought you didn't look too happy. My name's Elena," she said and held her hand out.

Shera paused a moment before taking Elena's hand and shaking it. "Shera. Sorry, just not used to anyone taking an interest in me."

Elena grinned. "I'm new at this." Her voice grew nervous as her smile faded. "I keep messing up too."

"I know what that's like."

"I keep getting chewed out and then I tell myself I really won't make that same mistake again," Elena said nodding. "And I don't - which is great - but I make a whole other one." Her fingers curled and she clawed at the air.

Shera glanced around; every other Shinra operative was gone. All that remained was one Turk who seemed somewhat out of place amongst the ranks. "I think I might leave the fence for now. Would you like some tea?"

* * *

One cup of tea became two and then three. Then it was early evening so Shera offered Elena some dinner. Nothing fancy; whatever was in the freezer. Dinner included wine. Two glasses of wine. A bottle. Two. After that they embarked on a wary raid of the Captain's liquor cabinet. Nothing to worry about; the owner was who knew where with those Avalanche people. She was here and talking to Elena. How long had it been since she reached out to anyone else like this? How long since she actually cared or considered someone other than the Captain with his obsession over the failures of the past? Too long.

Close to eleven o'clock and with a good measure of whisky inside them both, Elena decided they should relocate to the bathroom. Shera tumbled after her, giggling as she staggered into walls and door-frames, whisky spilling with each collision as she somehow kept hold of the half-empty bottle. Elena slumped down into the bath and Shera leant against it. "Did you... did you ever have dreams?" Elena slurred after a moment.

"Used to," Shera said taking a swig from the bottle. "Wanted to see space."

A scuffle from the bath. "We can go outside if you like?"

"No," Shera said now drinking from her glass. "Not like that. I meant up close. In the rocket."

"Ah," Elena said apparently satisfied. Shera passed the bottle up to her. "Good dream."

"How about you?" Shera asked, the bottle clinking against the bath as Elena fumbled it.

"Me? I jus-" A pause. "Dunno. People asked me before, but I never had a good answer."

"You didn't want to be a Turk?"

"Nope. But gotta work in Midgar. Means working for Shinra one way or the other. Turks was good. Kinda fun; shooting targets anyway. And I had this psychological test which I must have done pretty good on. But you know Avalanche?" Shera nodded. "If they weren't around, I would never have got the job."

"Oh?"

"They beat up one of us. Put him in hospital."

"Is he okay?" Shera turned to look at her companion.

"Reno? He's fine," Elena replied dismissively. "Just a scratch really. Still; that meant they promoted me." She giggled. "Promotion! Meant I got to see the world." More scuffling as she shuffled around. "Different to how you'd see it. You could see it all from up there. I might see it all from down here."

"Both are good," Shera said.

"You could come too; see the world with me. Be a Turk. And then when you get your rocket." Elena made a whooshing sound. "I could go into space with you."

Shera was silent for a moment before answering. "Not sure I'm ever going to space."

"You will," Elena said with odd certainty. "One day."

"Not sure I'd make a good Turk either."

"You'd be great!" Elena enthused. "They let me in and I'm lousy at it!"

"Okay." Shera smiled. Her new friend said nothing. She twisted her head around as far as she could to peer into the bath. Looked like Elena was asleep. Shera smiled and took another drink. Couple more minutes and she would head to bed herself.

* * *

"Found you!" A voice hissed. Shera's head felt too tight and the world was pressing on it awkwardly. Her body was cold and stiff and someone was in her house. "Rude; get her arms." Shera tensed, ready to try and fend off her attackers. Nothing happened; the strangers stepped past her. They were going for Elena.

"Wha?" Elena muttered behind her.

"Talk about getting a head start on us; how much did you drink?"

"Reno?" Elena asked blearily. "Why are- Oh. I was supposed to come back. I'm going to be in so much trouble-" A groan. "My head..."

"You'll be fine. And as luck would have it, we are now on vacation," the one referred to as Reno said gleefully. The one Avalanche injured?

"Vacation?" A pause. "Can I just stay here then?"

"And miss out on the wonders of Wutai? There's this great bar I found and-"

"I don't want to drink ever again," Elena groaned.

"Says everyone until lunchtime. Come on; we have work too; it's kind of a working holiday-" Elena continued to groan loudly as the strangers carried her away. "We get to drink but we gotta keep our eyes open." His voice faded into the silence and Shera was alone again. Still difficult to move; she slid sideways, the chill tile of the floor oddly comfortable. It would have been nice to go with them; nice to talk to at least Elena more.


End file.
